Sweet Tooth
by Thea-Zara
Summary: Giles had access to the 'Band Candy' a day early, and Ripper does something that changes Xander's life forever.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Sweet Tooth

Author: Thea Zara aka 50ftqueenie

Pairings: This is where it gets sketchy there is a bit of G/X (neither is in their right mind at the time) and some X/C, but over all it will be S/X possibly S/X/F, B/A, and W/O.

Warnings: The first part of this contains some mighty questionable consent / magic induced non-con. Also misuse of chocolate.

Notes: This starts out during the Buffy episode 'Band Candy'. Giles as a teacher had access to the candy a day before the bulk of the adults, and as such, was affected a day sooner.

He slipped another bit of chocolate into his mouth and let it slowly melt while he considered the treat standing not six feet away flipping through one of the boring arse books. Speaking of arses, the boy had a fine one. He swallowed the small sliver of chocolate, took three steps, and then pulled one arm, spinning the boy... no the man around to face him.

The young man flinched at the sudden contact before relaxing when he saw who'd grabbed him. A quick guilty look flashed across his face as he shut the book he'd been looking at, a flush creeping up his cheeks. He looked down at the book quickly, and realized it was far from the normal boring book he'd first assumed.

'Tophrathe's Journal' He thought to himself. 'This one would be easier to seduce than I thought.' That particular book had several dozen very interesting illustrations scattered through it. Considering it was written in a dead demon language, he was fairly certain it hadn't been a matter of a little light reading.

"Did you find anything interesting in that particular tome?" He asked, the picture of decorum while watching the young man in front of him squirm.

"No-no G-man, er uh Giles, not a thing. I'll just go find something else to uh-" The man stammered, before the hand on his arm squeezed slightly and he closed his babbling mouth.

"Alexander, familiar as I am with my own library, I know perfectly well that that particular book was locked away in my office. Petty thievery and that insidious nickname aside, it behooves me to ensure you receive proper punishment for your behavior." His hand tightened once again at the word punishment and he watched the man's eyes go from shock to resignation, as if perhaps he somehow expected this.

Keeping his grip firm, he reached out with his other hand. The gesture wasn't exactly threatening, but the young man froze. His muscles strained as if holding still by shear force of will alone. His eyes closed as if he couldn't bear to see what was coming. His whole body thrummed with energy.

He took a moment to bask in the view in front of him; the lanky body, the power he apparently held over the man, the slight parting of his lips as if waiting to cry out in pain.

Unable to wait a second longer he reached for Xander's shoulder and pulled until the young man was flush against him, his eyes jerking open in shock as he found himself pulled taunt against the older man. Warm chocolate eyes turned stormy and confused.

"Giles, what's -"

"Call me Ripper." He whispered huskily before capturing the parted lips in front of him in a harsh kiss.

----------

They always said curiosity killed the cat. To bad he hadn't taken the advice. Willow had been in a rush when she left the library earlier, eager to go meet up with Oz. In her smoochie addled cloud nine, she'd forgotten the book she'd been 'borrowing' from Giles' private collection laying on the counter. She had remembered as she was sliding into her seat at the Bronze in her role as girlfriend of a band member, and had begun panicking. Xander had stepped up and offered to go grab the book for her.

A jibe from one of the Cordettes left him in no hurry to rush back. Curiosity and boredom lead to him opening the book, and boy howdy had that been an eye opener. There had been some mighty interesting pictures. So interesting he almost wished he could read whatever language the book was written in.

Instead of pulling out the freaksome demon to English dictionary, he'd continued paging through looking at the erotic etchings and drawings that were littered through the book. There was nudity and kink, after all it was a book about demons, but the things that kept drawing him in were the faces, the emotions depicted. It was almost like he could feel just what they were feeling. He never even noticed the faces that captured his mind the most were male, and he certainly never heard Giles standing behind him munching away on band candy.

--------

Ripper felt the boy, Xander- and what kind of a name was Xander anyway- shudder and for a brief moment returned the kiss, then suddenly he pulled back, breaking the connection of their bodies. Those warm wet lips pulled away, but that second or two settled things, at least to Ripper's mind. He didn't hesitate to call up what powers were his for the taking, ancient words spilling from his mouth with no thought aside from what they could give him.

Less than ten seconds after Ripper finished speaking he found himself being pushed back, his grip on Xander's arm broken with ease. He pulled his mind off the swollen lips readying himself for the punch he expected. He didn't expect the full body tackle that landed them both on the floor, almost directly over the Hellmouth.

His head was pushed back and to the side and that swollen mouth descended to his neck while strong hands held his shoulders down. Teeth found their way to his neck and for one terrifying moment Ripper was sure he'd just hit on a vampire, but instead morphing into a feral face to feed, human teeth bit into his shoulder, hard. After only a second or two the harsh bite changed. Lips sealed on skin and sucked at the wounded neck. Ripper lay still, too stunned at receiving what would be his first hickey in quite a long time.

Suddenly the mouth left his neck. Fierce eyes looked into his, and a low growling voice sent shivers down his spine as Xander spoke one word, one demanding question, "Submit?"

Ripper nodded immediately, but the man on top of him didn't seem to find that satisfactory and growled deeply, baring his teeth.

"Yeah, mate, I submit." He uttered.

Xander's whole demeanor shifted immediately, a purr rumbling up through him as he leaned forward and licked up the side of Ripper's face. He shifted off the very confused and horny Brit, but before he could move Xander jerked his shirt open, buttons flying everywhere. One hand slid down slowly rubbing below Ripper's naval, while that mouth dropped to lick the now bare chest beneath him.

After nibbling both of Ripper's nipples till they were hard and aching slightly, Xander moved back up and reclaimed his mouth while he unbuttoned and unzipped and slipped his hand down inside the tight jeans to stroke the growing cock trapped there.

Xander kissed and bit at the still chocolate flavored mouth under him, tongues writhing back and forth. Xander pulled back abruptly, pushing up until he was on his knees. He quickly jerked off Ripper's shoes, then he put a hand on either side of his hips and jerked the jeans until they came off entirely. Indifferently, he tossed them off to one side, and went to work slipping out of his own not quite so tight jeans and boxers.

When he pulled his t-shirt over his head, Xander saw the half eaten bar of chocolate Ripper had been snacking on mere moments ago. He snaked a hand out and grabbed it, a smirk on his face. He broke off two squares, slipping one into Ripper's mouth, and the other into his own.

He let the chocolate sit on his tongue for a few moments, one hand slowly stroking his cock, the other stroking his partner's. Suddenly he dropped down between his lover's legs and ran his tongue up and around the hard cock in front of him leaving a warm gooey trail of melted chocolate. He pulled back for a moment swallowing the remaining chocolate in his mouth, then proceeded to retrace his 'steps' licking up each stroke of chocolate. He swirled his tongue over and around the head of Ripper's cock, pulling a moan from his lover. After cleaning up every drop, Xander started sucking in earnest; slipping the cock into his mouth, testing out his gag reflex, slipping his tongue in and around.

After a few moments he pulled away, sliding up for another bruising kiss, sucking on the chocolate tongue in his lover's mouth. He wrapped one hand around Ripper's cock and began, his thumb rubbing across the head at the end of each long stroke. He pulled away after a few moments, and looked down at his now panting lover.

He watched and waited, slowly increasing the pace until the man under him tensed up, every muscle in his body pulled tight. He clamped his teeth on his already bruising neck again biting harshly. With a scream somewhere between pain and exhilaration, Ripper came, shooting spurts of cum across his stomach and chest.

Xander ran his hand down through the isolated pools, then slipped off Ripper. As the man lay exhausted atop the Hellmouth, Xander grabbed one leg holding it up and the air and slid two slicked fingers down the crack of Ripper's ass. Before he could protest, they pushed in. Ripper tried to pull away, his mouth opening to protest, but Xander began pumping them in and out, then stretching him open, and Ripper lost all ability to speak for a moment.

Xander stroked his own very hard cock slowly coating it with a mix of his partner's cum and his own precum. He removed the stretching fingers, and wrapped one arm around Ripper's knee holding it up while he fell across his body. As he slid his cock against the tight opening, he pressed his lips against that chocolaty mouth again as it opened to protest. Stealing a brief taste of that mouth, he pulled back and looked into Ripper's eyes, then thrust in fast and hard.

Ripper let out another scream that danced the fine line between ecstasy and agony, then found his mouth covered again. Xander gave them both a moment to adjust, then began slowly slipping in and out. One hand slid between them and began stroking Ripper's cock again, as he began thrusting faster. Xander slipped his mouth back down to the bite, licking and sucking at it as he pumped in and out of his mate. Already on the edge, Ripper came in Xander's tight grip. Xander latched his teeth onto his shoulder one last time, biting down hard. As the copper taste of blood hit his tongue, he came, exploding inside his mate.

He lapped his tongue over the bite once, purring lightly, then slipped out from between his lover's legs. He kissed Ripper lightly, then curled up beside him in a sweaty sated heap and went to sleep still purring.

---------

Xander woke up sticky, naked, and alone. His head was throbbing and he had no idea why he was napping, 'Make that naked napping' on top of the Hellmouth, and more importantly in the middle of the library.

Was this one of 'those' dreams? Next he'd remember he had a test he hadn't prepared for... oh crap he did.

He looked around to find his clothes scattered to one side and quickly grabbed them up. After checking the clock, he grabbed his gym bag and made a dash for the locker room to shower. Actually going in the room, however, was another matter.

It stunk. Not the smell of sweaty men, that was a natural scent, which wasn't superiorly pleasant but was manageable, but of artificial, chemical smells. Cleaners and aerosols. Harsh chemicals that burned and stung his nose. He had to get clean and he would never make it home and back, let alone deal with his parents. What the hell was he going to do?

'Hold your breath.' a sure voice whispered in his head.

He didn't question the existence of that sure voice, it was a part of him, and that was all. He stepped out of the room, panted a moment, and then drew in a lung full of air and loped through the locker room to the showers, not breathing until three of the showers were running, the water and distance helping to mask some of the chemical smells.

He quickly rinsed himself off, thanking whatever deities that may be listening that he used unscented soap. He could still 'smell' it, but it was a much better smell than the chemicals that had assaulted his nose. He shut off the shower and quickly dried off, not noticing how he 'shook' his body down to rid himself of excess drops.

He got dressed and went back to the library to wait for school to start and the gang/pack/team to arrive.


	2. Chapter 2

Warnings: A bit of Het ahead.

He stalked his prey through the jungle, sidling up past others who hungered for what was his. He needed to break her away from her herd, needed to get her by herself, alone, helpless.

He watched for enemies, keeping his senses tuned for possible trouble. He checked his six, then swiftly planted the false information that would lead to a successful mission. If the enemy took the bait.

"Did you hear about the big sale at the mall, too bad its only til noon."

The sheep left quickly, scattering to the winds at the prospect of a deal. He watched them for a moment before he reached out a hand.

He pulled Cordelia into a nearby closet. He breathed in the scent of her and then struck, licking up the side of her neck. He captured her mouth and kissed her long and hard. His hands traced patterns down her spine while his tongue teased, delved, and parried inside her warm mouth. After a few moments they broke away, and as she panted, head swimming, he nipped and licked and nuzzled her neck, until her pants turned to a low moan.

"God, Xander, what's got into you to-Oh yeah right there-day?" She asked, as he slid his hands; one down to cup her left ass cheek, the other up and around to fondle her right breast. She opened her mouth to ask again when he stroked his thumb across her nipple, teasing it until it was rock hard. Instead of words she moaned and pulled his mouth back to hers.

It was another two minutes of Heaven before the door flew open and Principal Snyder grabbed a hold of Cordelia's arm to pull them out into the hall. Her tiny gasp of pain from the tight grip on her arm was enough to jettison Xander into action. He grabbed the front of the pint size troll's shirt then slammed him into the wall across the hall, a feral snarl on his face.

"No one touches my pack without permission, and no one touches my mate ever!" He snarled inches from Snyder's face. The principal was frozen, his face a mask of fear. "Look in her direction ever again and I'll poke out your eyes, touch her again and I'll take your hands as a trophy. Are we clear?"

The sudden smell of urine was the only answer.

He dropped the principal and moved away in disgust. He walked back to Cordelia, raised her shirt sleeve, and kissed the slight red mark on her arm. That done he put his arm around her and led the stunned girl away from the spectacle.

"Come on, let's get you to class. I have a history test to fail this period and I wouldn't want to be late." He told her, with his everyday Xander type smile.

All she could do was let herself be led to class.

--------

Buffy Summer's was having a weird day.

Just about every adult she knew was acting like responsibility took a flying leap off a very short pier. Including Giles. Nothing short of a concussion diverted Giles from responsibility. Make that a concussion, several prescription pain relievers, and threats of a worried slayer.

He blew off work, he blew off training. She couldn't even claim that was a sign of an impending Apocalypse, cause 'Duh' that would mean he would be in the library LOOKING THINGS UP. She was bound and determined to get to the way wiggy bottom of things.

Unfortunately, things didn't work out as planned.

She walked down the deserted hallway and suddenly found herself right off into deja vu land. Xander had popped in out of nowhere, and began circling her. His nostrils flared and a low growl was coming from his throat.

'Oh shit hyena!' Her mind dropped back to the botched mating from before and she prepared herself for an attack, one part of her mind already contemplating how to subdue him without hurting him... too much. Her whole body dropped into battle mode.

Instead of attacking, he asked a question, "So how long has Deadboy been back from Hell?"

--------

Xander had been having a terrific day, despite its rather confusing beginning. His test had been called on account of apathy, his mate was impressed with his display of virility this morning, once she confirmed that no one else had seen it, of course. And best of all, two afternoon teachers were no shows, leaving him still more time with his pack. A little Willow babble, a little zen from Oz, and a little skipping study hall to make out with his mate, made for one content Xander. The only things missing were Giles, who apparently played hookie too, and Buffy, who he seemed to keep missing.

He had walked Cordelia to practice, and was on his way home when he caught the scent of something that screamed 'danger to the pack', and he turned to track it down. Two corridors later he had found the danger, and it's scent was all over his wayward pack mate. He was fairly sure of the scent, but she'd washed afterward, he trailed around her wanting to be sure, and to be in control, before he said anything.

His nose automatically categorized and organized the smells coming off of her; The lilac scent she'd bathed with, the toothpaste she'd used, below it all the siren's song that was her own unique scent, it reminded him of dandelions and sunshine. Ghosting over top of that were traces of the danger. Traces of longing and traces of him.

If this had been the Xander Harris of a week before, there would be jealousy, and there would be yelling. But Xander Harris wasn't the same any longer. The soldier was whispering from one side of his head, the hyena the other. Tactics and pack. Coming together to protect what was his. While his brain whirled and clicked, his two old halves debating and planning, he asked a simple question.

"So how long has Deadboy been back from Hell?"

------

Buffy just gaped at him for a moment or three, before the slayer roused her stunned brain back onto the defensive. Something wasn't right with Xander, and him knowing about Angel didn't change things. Hell it would probably make them worse, if he wanted the same things he did before. Her natural reaction was to deny. "He's not."

It was the wrong move.

Before she could blink, and even before the slayer registered his movement properly, she found herself pinned against the wall. The eyes that bore into her flashed green once before reverting to their natural brown state, but any warmth they normally held for her was gone, suppressed by shear force of will on his part.

"We do not lie to the pack, Buffy. I can smell him on you. Tell me the truth and I'll tell you one right back."

She tried to break lose from his grip. He wasn't actually hurting her, yet, but she found his grip was unmovable, and her eyes widened just a fraction in shock before deciding this might be a good time to answer. "He's back." Xander seemed satisfied by her admission and loosened his grip on her slightly.

"You're not going to like this, but you need to know now before it cuts you further from the pack. I lied the night you sent him to Hell. I knew Willow was doing the spell, but I didn't know if she could do it, or if she would have time before he killed you and sucked the world into Hell. I couldn't let you fight him with hope in your heart. It would have killed us all."

The rage in her eyes bore into him, her anger too great for words alone she struggled in his grip, a growl pulled out of her to match his own.

He held her tight and forced her to listen as he went on. "I did what I had to to protect the pack, to protect you. Just like you lied to protect your mate. Either we both did the right thing or neither of us did, but right or wrong it's done now, and we need to deal with it. Where is Angel, we need to talk."

"You mean you need to kill him, right? Put the dangerous vampire down, or send him back to Hell?"

For the first time he showed true anger towards her, his eyes flashing green again, and staying there this time as he spoke in a guttural growl. "Angel is pack, we do not harm the pack."

"Right cause you guys were so buddy buddy before, so now he's part of your pack? What the hell with a side of yeah right."

Xander spoke slowly as if explaining to a wayward child. "You are pack. He is your mate. You love him, that makes him pack. We do not harm the pack."

Buffy stared at him, a shocked look on her face.

After a moment he released her, then asked again. "Where is he, we need to talk."

She found herself answering this time. "He's at the mansion."

"Good, let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

As they walked towards Crawford Street, Buffy watched her friend, carefully.

Before they were halfway there, he pulled to a stop and looked right back at her. "What's with the staring, Buf?"

"Well you kind of made with the distracting back there, so I was to busy to deal, but um... why are you all Hyena-y, again? Only, you know, more so cause you're way stronger now than you were then."

"It's not just the hyena now, soldier guy is here too," He tapped a knuckle to his head, "and I don't know why or how. Course I woke up naked ontop of the Hellmouth this morning, so I'm kind of in a just go with the flow sort of mood."

"What about um..." Buffy wasn't quite sure how to ask and totally leaving the naked part far far away from her brain. Nope no visuals for Buffy.

"The mate thing?" He asked, his voice low and tinged with guilt.

"Yeah."

"I've kind of got a mate now, so it's not really an issue. Plus I'm still here, so is the soldier. The idea of forcing anyone is really not of the good with either of us. I can never appologize enough for trying that, Buffy. I'd rather die than hurt any of you."

Buffy grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Um, what about food?"

"You mean the whole pig entre with a principal main course? I think they've both embraced the power of the Twinkie. The hyena isn't in control, and I think the soldier helps balance it out now. Although neither of them care much for Snyder, especially after this morning." His expression turned slighly more feral yet amused at the same time.

"What happened this morning?" She asked, her face wary.

"Cordy and me got kinda carried away in one of the closets, just making out, you know. Snyder found us and grabbed her arm."

"And..."

"And I slammed him into a wall and told him never to touch my mate or my pack." He grinned at her, showing more teeth than normal.

"Shit, Xan, what did he do?" She asked, not sure whether to be shocked or amused.

"So far as I know he didn't do anything... except make a mess for the janitor to clean up. Hopefully he doesn't try to send me the drycleaning bill."

Buffy couldn't help herself, she laughed the rest of the way.

--

They made their way through the garden and found a new statue setting in beside the fireplace. Angel sat unmoving legs crossed. Buffy started to rush to him, worried by his stillness, but Xander's hand on her arm stopped her.

"He's ok, Buff. He's just working on control. Come on we still have some things to talk out and he'll be a few more minutes." He led her back to the garden and took a seat on one of the scattered stones.

"So what do we need to talk about, Xander?" She asked squinting to see his face siloetted against the setting sun.

"He and I have things to work out, and you can't be around for it." He continued before she could protest. "I won't hurt him, but we have to settle where he stands in the pack, and neither of us can do that if you're watching. Besides that he needs to feed. I want you to go pick up some blood at the butchers. And more than that little container I saw. God only knows how long he's been starving himself, or making do on short rations."

Buffy, who'd been gearing up to protest settled back worried about how little she'd seen Angel eat. "You really think he's been starving himself?" She asked in a small voice.

"Considering what Angelus did when he was in charge? Yeah I think he is. As much as I disliked the guy, I know he's taking it all hard. We have to make him see being weak is only going to hurt the pack more. We need him, and we need him strong and able to fight to the best of his abilities."

Buffy glanced back towards the mansion with a thoughtful look.

"There's something else. We have to tell the others, as soon as we're done here we'll go round them all up. This isn't something you're going to keep a secret forever, and the longer you lie the more hurt people will be, especially Giles."

"Huh? Why Giles?"

"Buff, I love you dearly but sometimes you have zero people skills. Think about it. Who did Angelus hurt the most. It wasn't you and it wasn't me or Wills. It was Giles. He butchered the woman he loved, and left her like a present. Then he spent hours torturing the secrets to hell out of the man. He finds out you're lying to protect Angel, and I don't think he'll ever forgive you. He'll still love you, cause that's who he is, but he'll always feel you put a killer over him, and it will eat away at him."

Tears in her eyes, Buffy dove into Xander's open arms. "Oh God, Xander, what did I do?"

"Nothing that can't be fixed." He whispered into her head; patting her back while she sobbed.

After a few moments he handed her a battered, but clean, hanky. "Go ahead and get yourself cleaned up. Our host is almost ready for company"

Angel stood and turned towards the two heartbeats he heard entering from the garden. 'Buffy' he thought serenely, then he saw/smelled/sensed who else was with her, and started growling.

"Buffy get away from him." He ordered in a gutteral voice.

"Angel?" She asked, shocked at his reaction. When a second growl broke out beside her she instictively stepped back away from both men. "Xander, what the hell is going on?"

"Buffy just go to Angel. He's worried about his mate. Calm him down, then we'll talk."

Xander's words seemed to calm Angel down slightly, but once he had ahold of Buffy, he buried his nose in her hair for half a second before pulling her behind him and bared his teeth at Xander. "Your scent is wrong, boy."

"You'll watch you're tone, beta. You don't see me insulting you over the brimstone and decay that waft off you like a cloud, do you? I've changed since the last time we met, but I'm fairly sure its a good thing. Especially considering the old me would see you staked, not fed."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Angel asked, confused by the almost friendly tone.

"Buffy's going to go pick up some take out at the butcher's. You need to feed. While she's doing that, you and I will decide where we stand."

Before anyone could object, Xander handed Buffy a small roll of bills and then the small stake he had gotten in the habit of keeping on him. "Get as much as you can, he's going to need it. And don't lose that, its my favorite stake."

"Um, Xan, why are you giving me your stake?"

"So I know he won't use it on me." Angel answered.

"Exactly." Xander said with a smirk. "Go on, Buff. We promise to play nice, and when you get back we can all settle in to decide what we need to do next. Besides, I'm sure Deadboy here is hungry."

The thought of Angel willingly starving himself got her moving despite her suspicions. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

They waited until both were sure she'd gone, then as one they took on a fighting stance.

--

When Buffy walked in she was rather amazed at the change in the atmosphere. The two men were talking and laughing, pleasantly. On one hand she was incredibly pleased... on the other she was highly suspicious.

"Ok, guys, what gives?" She asked as she passed Angel a large bag of blood containers, then got a good look at him. A black eye was still clearly visable as well as flecks of blood on his shirt and across his knuckles. She spun to face Xander, to find a matching black eye, his just starting to fade, similarly bloody knuckles, a few claw marks that looked nearly healed, and most unsettlingly blood near his mouth, almost as if he'd been...

She spun back to Angel, looking him over more carefully this time, then spotting what she'd been looking for, jerked a particularly bloody shoulder of his shirt back to reveal an ugly bite mark that was just starting to heal itself.

"You... he... I..." She started, totally confused by what she was seeing.

"I think we broke her." Xander said with a smirk that was quickly returned by Angel.

"You BIT him." She said in a small, confused voice. "Why did you bite him?"

"Buffy, it's alright. I'm ok, Angel's ok, and now the pack is ok. We just had to see this thing out and figure out, once and for all, who was the alpha."

"Alpha, like a hyena thing?" She asked.

"Sort of, more of a pack thing. Vroom Vroom, baby."

Buffy just looked confused, but Angel, shoc-kingly enough, started laughing, "Good one." When Buffy spun to look at him he pulled her in for a brief kiss on the forehead then replied. "It means he's the leader of the pack."

"The bite was just a show of dominance, for his demon and my hyena. Settled our places in the pack and shut up the bullshit posturing we've done for the last couple years. Although, I will say that the blood pick me up has its benefits." He gently touched the fading black eye, then wiped blood off perfectly healed knuckles.

Buffy was just about to work her way up into a snit when Angel reached out and pulled her close. He settled her between his stretched out legs and wrapped his arms around her, chin on her shoulder.

"It's ok. We needed to get things settled and now its over, and it won't be happening again. Vampires are just as much pack creatures as the hyena is. The demon respects Xander's position as alpha, and it's place in the pack."

"And the hyena respects Angel's place in the pack and as you're mate." Xander said picking up the explaination.

Angel kissed Buffy along one cheek and pulled her back against him holding her. Buffy looked over at the now nearly healed Xander, who was smiling at them in a way too content manner.

"So you're suddenly ok with Angel? Two years of hate, and now one fight is all it takes for you to be all pro-Angel?" Buffy asked confused.

"I never hated him, Buff. I was jealous. You know the hyena wanted you as a mate, you know I wanted you as a girlfriend. Angel had what I wanted, and I was the uncool loser who didn't stand a chance."

Buffy opened her mouth to respond but before she did, Angel spoke up. "He was the regular guy who could give you a normal life, and who could walk in the sun with you. He also challenged my demon's... my claim on you as a mate, not to mention that God awful smart mouth."

"Gotta love the snark, Deadboy." Xander said with an open smile.

"So you guys hated each other cause of me?" Buffy asked, balanced between horror and a tiny bit of supressed pride.

"I'm almost suprised one of us didn't start peeing on your shoes. Course I think that would have led to you staking the both of us." Xander said enjoying the fierce protective look that crossed her face at the threat to her shoes. "Although I think we both figured out just how deadly that would have been. Never threaten a slayer's family, friends, or footwear."

Buffy smirked up at him, "I think they need to add that chapter to the handbook... not that I've ever gotten to read it, mind you." 


End file.
